


Close to Home

by katie_049



Category: Aquaman (2018)
Genre: Angst, F/M, Fluff, Happy Ending, Post-Movie
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-22
Updated: 2019-02-21
Packaged: 2019-10-14 14:48:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 15,737
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17510654
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/katie_049/pseuds/katie_049
Summary: “What’s going on? I’m not sure if I’m ready for another one of our crazy missions,” Arthur joked, but Mera didn’t return his laughter, her brows were furrowed and her lips set in a tight line.His laughter died on his lips and he swam closer to her, stopping in front of her. “What’s wrong?”The princess looked up to him, grinding her teeth. “My father wants me to accompany him back to Xebel.”Arthur’s heart stopped for a second. His chest tightened and he swallowed hard.Just a little something that could happen because I don’t believe everything is going to look rosy. Sets right after the movie. Arthur x Mera





	1. Part I

**Author's Note:**

> Alright, I started writing again after seeing Aquaman because I have a slight obsession with Arthur x Mera. This is just a little something that could happen. I've read a lot of other fics where they are kind of happy, and while I want them to be happy, I feel like they would go through some stuff. They both have such explosive characters at times and I tried to explore that. 
> 
> This should be three parts. I'm writing the second one right now, so be patient with me.  
> Also thanks goes to my beta reader arielprincessofthesea, she did a fantastic job! 
> 
> Hope you like it! :)

 

It had been two days after Arthur had taken the throne from his half-brother, Orm, and he hadn’t had one free minute to himself.

Right after the end of the battle, they had brought him to Atlantis and into the palace. His new home was a surreal place, so unlike any building he had seen before. The windows seemed to be open, but after taking a closer look, he saw a slight flickering of the water. It wasn’t glass, but some Atlantean technology that seemed to work as a barrier to the outside. Every room they had showed him, no matter if it was the dining hall or his study, seemed to be bigger and higher than what he was used to. The biggest contrast to the lighthouse and even the outside of the palace was the blinding white that painted the walls, surfaces and even the furniture. There was a cleanness to the whole place that Arthur couldn’t understand. When he had first entered Atlantis with Mera in her Kingfisher, he had been astounded at all the different colors around him, almost overwhelmed by the brightness of the city. The palace seemed just boring compared to the rest of Atlantis.

As they had walked through his new home, his mother had stayed close to his side, pointing out a few things every now and then. Telling him about the best breakfast food he should ask for or a safe haven where he could hide for a while, if things got overwhelming. She was trying to help make his transition between living on the surface and in Atlantis as smooth as possible, instinctively knowing that he was going to struggle just like she did in the beginning. He was grateful for her advice and her presence. Some of the guards around the palace still looked wary at him and if his mother hadn’t been by his side, ignoring their looks sending them smiles instead, he would have felt more uncomfortable. She had swam through the immensely tall halls like she had never left Atlantis, but in moments when nobody watched her, he noticed her restlessness. She stared into the distance and he knew she longed to go back to his father.  

It wasn’t until after dinner that she had given him a long hug, framing his face with her hands and placing a kiss on his forehead. It was a silent goodbye and he knew he wouldn’t see her at breakfast the next day. As he watched her leave the dining hall, he felt tiredness overcome him again. He turned to Vulko, who was still the only one he trusted, and the older man had finally showed him to his new room where he immediately fell into his bed, tired from the last few days.

Sleep didn’t come easy though. He wasn’t able to settle down onto his bed, which really just meant floating on top of it. He had, after all, never slept underwater before and it was going to take a while to get used to the floating. Thankfully he was tired enough to just pass out after some time.

His first day in Atlantis was spent meeting a lot of people who were important, but he wasn’t able to discern why. Vulko was accompanying him everywhere, trying to explain the importance of everyone. Arthur’s head was hurting from all the information and he was tempted to just swim away, back home to his father. The only thing keeping him from doing so was the thought of the beautiful red-head that had changed his heart over the last few days. Instead of swimming away, he took a deep breath, crossing his arms in front of his chest, trying his best to listen to Vulko.

The next day he was sitting in a meeting with the most important advisors of Atlantis when he learned that Vulko was not the only one he should listen to concerning important Atlantean matters. Occasion called for multiple advisors, as Kings had before him.

His thoughts wandered to Mera again. He had only seen her at mealtimes during the day where she sat at the opposite side of the table, making it impossible to really talk to her at all. They had shared a few long looks, but she had always broken their little stare before anyone noticed. After the meals, someone had always whisked him away before he could reach her. It was frustrating and he promised himself to catch her after dinner that night.

“Excuse me, My King. There is an urgent matter that you need to attend to,” Vulko interrupted his thoughts and he shook his head, blinking a few times to clear it. Arthur hadn’t even seen the woman next to Vulko enter the room.

“Excuse me,” he said with a smile to the round of people who looked somehow offended at this interruption, but he couldn’t care less because he was finally able to get out of the room.

“Nobody told me that it was so boring to be king,” he muttered to Vulko once they were outside. “I thought this was going to be fun.”

“This matter is going to be more exciting as you call it, My King,” Vulko answered as he swam ahead of him into the direction of Arthur’s bedroom.

“Vulko, what did I tell you? My name is Arthur and you’re not allowed to call me ‘My King’ after years of using my real name,” he groaned, swimming a little faster, confused at the direction they were going. “Don’t get me wrong, I would appreciate it you always saved me from boring council meetings, but weren’t we supposed to meet with some other important people in like an hour?” He asked right before they entered his bedroom.

“Right now, we need to take care of this.” The older man pointed across the room towards his bed where Mera was sitting. She seemed small compared to the width of his bed, her green suit and red hair being a stark contrast to the white piece of furniture.

Surprised, Arthur closed the door behind him, looking back between Vulko and the woman sitting on his bed. “What’s going on? I’m not sure if I’m ready for another one of our crazy missions,” he joked, but Mera didn’t return his laughter, her brows were furrowed and her lips set in a tight line.

His laughter died on his lips and he swam closer to her, stopping in front of her. “What’s wrong?”

The princess looked up to him, grinding her teeth. “My father wants me to accompany him back to Xebel.”

Arthur’s heart stopped for a second. His chest tightened and he swallowed hard. “Why?”

“Since the contract of the betrothment is broken, I’m not needed here anymore. I am a disgrace to the family and he doesn’t want me anywhere near Atlantis ever again,” she hissed, her hands balling into fists. “My job was to marry the king and keep the good faith between Atlantis and Xebel. Not bring down the king and put another on the throne.” She let out a hysteric laugh. “He says I can’t be trusted.”

“He can’t just dictate your whole life,” Arthur hollered. This development confused him. He never imagined being in Atlantis without Mera. She was basically the only one he knew here. If she left Atlantis, he wasn’t sure if he wanted to be there. “I’m the King of Atlantis now and I decide who gets to stay or leave. I will talk to him. If he wants to keep the good faith between our kingdoms, he’ll have to listen.” His voice grew louder towards the end.

“No, you don’t get it! That’s exactly what he wants,” she snapped at him. Her voice raised and her eyes turned light blue. Bubbles started to form around her balled fists, and if he wanted to keep his bedroom in one piece, he needed to calm her down. Now.

“Mera,” Arthur said calmly as he crouched down in front of her. He took her hands in his, dissipating the bubbles. Her eyes turned normal again and she relaxed slightly. “You will not leave Atlantis. I will make sure of it,” he promised.

“That is the problem. He knows I’m your weakness, and he’s going to use that to his advantage,” the red-haired woman was speaking calmer now, her fingers wrapping around his own. Her eyes found his and he held her gaze for a few seconds before sighing and getting up again. He’d made a decision.

“I think you should leave for a while.”

“What? No, Arthur!” She jumped up, jabbing her finger into his chest. “I can’t give in to him. The moment I get back to Xebel, he will send me into exile!”

“And I thought you trusted me these days,” Arthur jested, grabbing her finger and rolling his eyes. “I’m not saying you should go back to Xebel. You’ll go to my parents for a while until I can figure out a different solution. My father’s lighthouse is safe, and with my mother there, your father wouldn’t dare attack it.” He paused and pulled her a little closer. “You really think you can get rid of me that easily? You’re stuck with me.”

“Oh.” Her hand flattened on his chest.

“Sometimes I think you underestimate me,” he smirked at her, rocking back on his heels.

“Stop it,” Mera chastised him, giving him a gentle push against his chest. “I’ll go to your parents house for a few days to let things settle down. However, I will not back down. He may be my father but I haven’t agreed with the decisions he’s made in the last few days and I don’t agree with this one.”

Arthur chuckled and pressed a kiss to the side of her head. “Trust me to do this. I’ll come over tonight to see how you’re doing.”

The red-haired woman nodded and gave his arm a soft squeeze before swimming past him. He knew better than to ask her if she wanted an escort out of the castle and to the gates. She would probably have his head.

“Princess Mera, give my best to Queen Atlanna and Mr. Curry,” Vulko bid his goodbye, giving her a slow nod. “I’ll help him find a solution to your problem and I’ll make sure he doesn’t do anything impulsive.”

“Hey, I heard that!” Arthur protested loudly.

Neither of them seemed to hear him. “Thanks, Vulko,” Mera responded and with one last look at Arthur, she left the room.

With a heavy sigh, Arthur sat down on his bed, rubbing his hands over his face. “Please tell me you have a solution to this problem, Vulko, ‘cause I’ve got nothing.”

“Right this second, I cannot come up with one that will keep everyone happy, but after our last meeting today, I will spend all my time trying to find one,” Vulko answered him, his hands behind his back. He nodded at Arthur. “We should go now, if you want to leave for the lighthouse before dinnertime.”

Arthur just nodded, getting up and following Vulko out of his room. Being king was definitely not as fun as he was hoping.

 

\--------

 

Hours later, after his last meeting had ended, Arthur finally arrived in Amnesty Bay at his father’s lighthouse. Getting out of the water, he wrung out his long hair and walked up the landing to the main house. This time, coming home was going to be different. For one, both of his parents were gonna be there. It was something he had imagined as a kid, but never saw coming to pass. Also, Mera would be there. Both of his worlds colliding. Upon heading inside through the main entrance, he grabbed the towel that they kept at the door for situations such as these, drying himself quickly.

“Arthur!” His mother exclaimed as she saw him standing in the hallway. She was sitting on the couch in the living room, a book perched on her lap which she put aside upon seeing him, standing up.

“Hi mom,” he smiled and made his way over into the living room, meeting her halfway and enveloping her in a hug. It still felt weird to hug and talk with his mother. He longed to be with her for such a long time. Feeling her strong embrace now, he squeezed her again, burying his face in her neck and breathing her in. Atlanna didn’t seem to mind the long hug, her hand resting against the back of his neck, caressing it softly and calming him down in the process. After another few seconds they parted and she sat back down on the couch.

His eyes swayed around the room, looking for a particular red-head. “Where is Mera? She did come, right?”

“She’s outside on the back porch,” his mother informed him, turning her head to the door on the back end of the room. His gaze followed his mother’s directions and he caught a flash of red hair through the window.

“She’s barely said anything to us other than admitting that her father wants her to leave Atlantis,” his mother continued.

Arthur nodded. “Vulko is trying to find out more. Her father is unhappy with the recent turn of events and wants her home. It seems he doesn’t trust her anymore. Even I don’t have the full story.”

“King Nereus is a difficult man. After Mera’s mother died, her father sent her to Atlantis. She was barely four years old. I took up the task of looking after her. She spent her whole childhood in Atlantis, only seeing her father every now and then,” his mother explained. “She must be feeling hurt and confused about it all.”

Arthur nodded again. “I’ll go check on her.”

His mother nodded, smiling warmly at him. As she grabbed her book again, he realized that having her back home, wasn’t something he had to get used to. Just like at the palace, Atlanna fit right in into wherever she was as if she had never left.

A smile graced his lips and with one last look out of the window in the back, he turned around, walking back through the hallway and into the kitchen. His father was standing bend down in front of the oven in the back of the kitchen, putting a dish filled with something that looked like meatloaf into the oven. Arthur stopped in front of the small kitchen island, waiting for his father to close the oven and step back from it.

“Hi dad,” he greeted his father once he was upright again.

A smile spread on Tom’s face as he took off the oven mittens. “Oh my, look who graced us with his presence today! The King of Atlantis himself!” He joked, clapping him on the shoulder as he gave Arthur a firm hug. “Look at your new get-up. You look so shiny!”

Seeing his dad so happy and carefree was also something new. While Tom had always missed Atlanna, he had done so quietly, trying not to show it to Arthur. But now there was a big smile on his face and it made him look years younger.

“Apparently this is what you wear as a king,” Arthur just shrugged.

“Well, it does kind of look funny, so you might want to change before going into town,” he said, turning back to the stove. “Your girl is outside. She’s been waiting for you.” He pointed his chin to the direction of the back porch, smirking. “I just started making dinner, hope you still like food other than the fish they serve in Atlantis.”

“Dad, I just wanted to say hi,” he growled. “I’m gonna go see Mera now.”

He heard his dad chuckle behind his back as he turned back around, walking through the living room and out of the back door. Blowing out a breath of air, he concentrated on the red-haired woman who stood at the railing of the porch. She had changed out of her green suit into black tights and a white sweater that were probably his mother’s. She was staring off into the distance, her arms crossed in front of her.

“Hey, you,” he called out to her. “I see you ransacked Mom’s closet. Looks good on you.”

The princess briefly looked over to him before turning her gaze back to the ocean. Seeing her this quiet was something he hadn’t experienced before. Just a few hours ago, she had exploded over the fact that her father was trying to dictate her life and now she seemed almost lost.

He walked closer to her, touching her arm and letting his hand slowly rub up to her shoulder. He felt her muscles relax under his touch and let his hands wander over to her other shoulder, pulling her into his chest. She came willingly, her head coming to rest just under his chin, her arms wrapping around his middle. She was shorter than usual, her feet bare. Tucked into his arms, she released a heavy breath, her hands fisting his suit on the back.

He welcomed her touch and the embrace, wrapping his arms tight around her. “Talk to me, Mera,” he urged her gently. “There has to be something that would make you feel better.”

She huffed, shaking her head. “I don’t know what to think about all of this.”

“You don’t have to think about anything right now. Just be here with me and forget about your father for a while,” he whispered in her ear, pressing a kiss against her cheek.

“Arthur,” she mumbled, her head shaking softly against his chest.

“We could go to the bar and drink a few beers, that always makes me feel better - most of the time. Or we could go for a swim. Or you could play your flute,” he suggested, squeezing her in his arms.

“I don’t feel like doing any of those things.” She loosened their embrace and he started to feel the shift in her mood.

“It’s going to get better,” he tried again. “In a few days, everything is going to be fine. Right now you just gotta do something other than stare at the ocean.”

“No, Arthur, you don’t get it,” she accused him harshly, shifting out of his embrace. “Nothing is going to be fine. I’m about to lose everything I’ve ever known and you’re just standing there, joking about it. Can’t you be serious for just once in your life?” She stood a few feet away from him now, her legs planted wide, her chin up. She was glaring at him, her hands balled into fists.

“I’m just trying to make you feel better!” He objected, repeating himself. “I take no joy in seeing you this upset.” His breathing was getting heavier, his nostrils flaring. “Do you think I want you to leave Atlantis? Because that is the last thing I want to happen. I don’t want to be their King, if you’re not there with me.”

“Don’t make this about you,” she growled, taking a step closer to him. “This is _my_ life on the line, not yours. _My_ world is being ripped apart.”

His lungs constricted, making it hard to breathe. He laid his emotions bare in front of her and she had just ignored his words. Expressing his emotions had always been hard for him, especially after learning that his mother was dead. Before that he had a purpose in life: getting stronger and learning more, so he could impress his mother upon their reunion. That day on the beach when Vulko told him she was gone, he didn’t only lose hope, but the will to be better. His life seemed meaningless after that and he was just angry at the world. He never had any real friends, and for Arthur it always seemed like his father was the only one who understood him. The only one who calmed his angry mind. After years of causing trouble and using his fist more than his mind, he had finally found his purpose again. Mera had given him a reason to be better again because she deserved someone with a purpose. Then they had found his mother, and he wasn’t sure if he ever felt happier in his life.

He just started to let himself feel something else than just anger and hurt, and then Mera disregarded his words as if they meant nothing to her. He was trying to stay calm, but she was twisting everything he said into something wrong. The anger and hurt he had tried to store away in the last few days resurfaced, bubbling out of him. His muscles started to quiver and his pulse sped up.

“Then what do you want?” He growled.

“I want things to go back to how they were a few weeks ago!” She shouted back at him.

Heat flushed through his body and he felt everything crumble around him. He turned around, slamming his fist into the closest beam of the railing, making it splitter into a thousand pieces. He saw her flinch next to him, but he couldn’t stop himself.

“So, you wish you had never recruited me for _your_ plan to save the world?” He started, his voice deepening. “Seems like my brother unleashing war onto the surface world wasn’t such a bad thing for you after all. Maybe you would have also rather preferred to stay betrothed to him than babysit the new King?”

“Stop it, Arthur!” Mera yelled, her lip quivering. “Are you out of your mind?”

Before he could say anything else, the opening of the door interrupted their heated words. His mother stepped outside, a frown on her face.

“Dinner is served,” she simply stated, her eyes going back and forth between the two of them. “If you’re done with this childish screaming, you may come inside and sit down at the table.” Without another word, she turned around and walked back inside.

He turned to Mera, seeing her head bowed down like a child who just got lectured by their parent. His mother was basically a parental figure to her. Atlanna had raised Mera for the most important part of her childhood, raised her to be a Queen who shouldn’t so easily lose control of her emotions.

He felt like a dick, cursing himself for losing control over his own emotions. He had tried, but Mera seemed to be able to get a rise out of him easily.

He wasn’t sure what to say to her now, so he walked back inside. He heard her follow after him and he held the door open for her. As she entered, her hair whipped up from the wind, her scent filling his nostrils. It made his head spin and his heart beat faster and it reminded him that he was able to feel something other than anger these days.

“You’re gonna fix that beam yourself, son,” his father clarified behind him and Arthur turned around, seeing the judging look on his dad’s face.

Arthur groaned, feeling another lecture coming his way, so he hurried upstairs to change. When he came back into the dining room, everyone was sitting already and he sat down opposite of Mera.

She was looking at the different dishes of food, her eyes curious and for a second it seemed like she forgot about everything that happened. As he grabbed the bowl of mashed potatoes, their eyes met and neither of them was able to look away until his father cleared his throat, taking the dish out of his hands.


	2. Part II

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> New chapter guys!  
> Thank you for your feedback on the first part. I'm glad you enjoyed reading it! :) 
> 
> Also a big thank you to my beta-reader arielprincessofthesea who looked over this part again. Also check out her own story 'What's in a Date?'.

Dinner was a quiet affair. Neither Arthur nor Mera said a single word, while his parents talked about getting a new dog. His mother had to learn that animals on land didn’t live as long as most animals in the sea. Before Arthur and his father had to let their dog, Brody, go, he had lived a long life of 14 and a half years. His father hadn’t wanted another dog back then, and he still argued against it now. A dog was a lot of work and he wasn’t getting any younger. His mother just smiled, shaking her head and telling him that he was in his best years.

Arthur had a feeling that there would be a new family member the next time he visited and he looked forward to it. He couldn’t wait to see Mera’s reaction to the furry animal. That was if she would come with him again.

He looked over to her, watching as she chewed slowly on some mashed potatoes, her face scrunched up in concentration. They were having meatloaf with mashed potatoes and green beans. In the last few days, he had fish for every single meal each day and he craved a good steak or even a burger. He supposed meatloaf was the next best thing.

For Mera, however, it meant tasting three new things which Atlanna had tried to explain to her, comparing each dish to something in Atlantis. While Mera had some beans and mashed potatoes, she hadn’t touched her meatloaf yet. She had looked around the table, studying each of their plates before her gaze rested on his plate as he cut up a small piece of his meatloaf. He pierced the piece of meat with his fork, sliding it through some mashed potatoes. Her gaze followed his fork until it was in his mouth and he kept his own eyes on his plate. He didn’t want to startle her and it gave her the time to see that meatloaf was something Atlanteans could eat as well as humans.

A few minutes later, she gathered up the courage to put the first piece of meatloaf in her mouth, chewing slowly before letting out a low sigh, her hand covering her mouth and her eyes closing. Watching her experience new things was amazing for Arthur to watch. It made his heart beat faster and he felt the urge to find something else to show her.

His father cleared his throat, pulling Arthur out of his thoughts. Tom pointed to the dish of mashed potatoes in front of Arthur. Sighing, he handed the dish over, concentrating back on his plate in front of him.  

After they finished eating his mother had taken Mera upstairs to help her settle in. Maybe if they hadn’t been fighting, he would have done so himself, but his mother leveled him with a soft look, making him do the dishes with his father instead.

As he was drying the dishes, he kept looking back to the hallway, anxious for his mother to return. He trusted his mother, but for some reason he always thought it was going to be him who showed Mera around the lighthouse. It had been his home for all his life and there were a few things he would like to share with her. For example, he wanted to show her the top of the lighthouse so that he was there in case she got nauseous again.

The Atlantean queen had been upstairs with Mera for quite a while. Giving Mera clothes to sleep in and showing her the room wouldn’t take so long. Logically, they probably got distracted talking. It made sense as Mera had known Atlanna for a lot longer than him and his mother was like a parental figure to her. Mera trusted her and maybe it was enough to tell her about the conversation she had with King Nereus. To be honest, Arthur had hoped he would be the person she confided in.

“I’ve never seen you this stressed out about a woman before, son,” his father pulled him out of his thoughts. “Why don’t you tell me more about her? I barely know her.”

He felt caught, putting the plate, which was more than dry, down on the counter behind him. “I’m not stressed about her. I don’t do stress,” he grumbled, grabbing another plate.

His father leveled him with pointed look. “Don’t be like that, I know you better.”

“Fine,” Arthur huffed. “She’s the one who saved you when the wave hit the bay.”

His father narrowed his eyes. “How about you tell me something I don’t already know?” He suggested as he put the last of the dishes in the rack.

While Mera and Tom weren’t officially introduced after she had saved him, she had come back with the two of them to the lighthouse. Luckily, the wave had missed the property, leaving the lighthouse intact. Mera hadn’t said anything the whole way there and his father was too out of it to really notice the red-head. Even Arthur was too worried about his dad to fully acknowledge her presence. Only after his father was settled, did Arthur go downstairs again, and agree to Mera’s plan. As much as he had despised Atlantis back then, he knew if he didn’t help, his father was just going to be one of the many people who would suffer from Atlantis’ wrath.

“Her name is Mera and she’s the princess of Xebel, a neighboring kingdom of Atlantis,” Arthur explained, grabbing another plate from the rack. He briefly glanced at his father and after seeing his raised eyebrows, continued, “She was engaged to my brother.”

“She was what? Have I taught you nothing, son?” His father exclaimed, hitting him with a kitchen towel he had just dried his hands with. “You stole your brother’s girl? What made you think that was a good idea?”

“Dad, they were betrothed,” he added. As far as he was concerned, he saved her from a loveless marriage with a maniac.

When he was younger, he never really dated anyone. When he was seventeen, he had a brief phase where he got interested in girls, but after he brought the first – and only – girl home, he refrained from doing so again. While he found their activities enjoyable, he couldn’t understand the big fuss about it. The girl, Annie, was nice, but he couldn’t get himself to care about her. She also stuck to him like a limpet, always wanting him to tag along whenever she met with her friends. That just wasn’t him and he had broken things off with her. A few years back he had tried again, but he just couldn’t get himself to care about any of the women.

“Betrothed or not, you never steal your brother’s girl. Clearly, I didn’t teach you enough about that stuff.” Tom shook his head, picking up a pot. “I feel a little sorry for your brother now.”

“She’s not his girl and I didn’t steal her, dad. She’s her own person and I’m sure after she adjusts a little and I get that shit with her father worked out, she will be able to make her own choice.” He put the plate in his hands down a little too forcefully, making the porcelain break in the middle. His father calling Mera his brother’s girl made him want to break every dish in the sink.  

“She must mean a great deal to you,” his father mused, looking at the broken plate. “This is the second thing you’ve destroyed today.”

Arthur just growled, looking towards the hallway again, before throwing his towel down on the kitchen island and leaving the kitchen. His mood was getting worse again. Walking out of the kitchen and through the hallway, he sat down in the living room on the couch, crossing his arms in front of him and staring out of the window.

He loved his father, but sometimes he just wanted to be left alone. His father knew how to push his buttons and even though he almost always felt better after being forced to talk about his emotions and feelings, today was not one of those days. Too much had happened already.

He wasn’t sure how long he was sitting alone in the living room, but after a while he heard soft footsteps coming down the stairs. Hushed whispers were coming from the kitchen and a few minutes later, his mother came into the living room, sitting down next to him. She handed him a cup of tea, which he silently took from her. For a while nobody said anything, both of them sipping their tea.

“I’m not going to pretend I didn’t hear your fight with Mera earlier,” his mother broke the silence, crossing her legs under herself and turning towards him. “Your father actually tried to make me interfere earlier and if I had, maybe the beam from the railing would still be intact.” She took a sip from her tea.

“I don’t need another lecture about destroying things. Dad already gave me one,” he muttered, glancing over his shoulder back into the kitchen, but his father was not in sight.

“Mera is an incredibly capable and independent woman with a strong sense for her obligations as princess of Xebel. Her heritage and nation have always meant a lot to her, so does her family, even though she didn’t see them too often. Xebel _and_ Atlantis both mean a great deal to her just as much as the surface world means to you.”

“I know, mom,” he said, finally meeting her gaze. “I would never ask her to choose sides.”

“I know you won’t. If she is forced to leave Atlantis, she’ll lose her purpose in life. She was groomed to be queen of Atlantis and she was never allowed to imagine being anything other than that,” she explained, putting her cup down onto the table. “However, she would also be losing you, Arthur. That scares her more than leaving Atlantis.”

A flush of heat tingled through his body upon his mother’s words, and he held his breath for a second, before also putting his empty cup down on the table. Deep down he knew that whatever was going on between Mera and him was mutual between them. He knew that during their fight earlier, he shouldn’t have accused her of never wishing to meet him. It had hurt both of them and he wasn’t proud that he stooped to that level.  

His mother’s hand on his arm brought him back to reality. “I do not know what has happened between you two in the last few days, but I can see that you found something special,” she stopped, rubbing her hand over his arm, “I don’t want to meddle in your relationship with her, but I think that telling you more about the Atlantean culture and its customs might help.”

He frowned at the sudden change in conversation. “I don’t understand what that has to do with it. Vulko has already taught me a lot.”

His mother just smiled, squeezing his hand. “I believe he has not told you about relationships between men and women, and I also believe this will help you where Mera is coming from,” she assured him, retreating her hand and folding her hands in her lap.

The possibility of finally understanding Mera’s train of thought, made him remain silent. Understanding women was never talent of his and Mera was just so damn explosive sometimes. He would take all the help that he could get.

“I learned that relationships on the surface work differently when I met your father. In Atlantis, and especially people like Mera who are from the upper class, don’t have a choice in choosing their spouses. People in the royal court always have arranged marriages and it has worked for hundreds of years until I tried to disrupt that order. We both know what happened after that.” She stopped, sending him a soft smile as she saw the confusion written over his face.

“I’m not going to have an arranged marriage, mother,” he clarified, shaking his head. “And I won’t let Mera be forced into something like that again either.”

“In Atlantis, such a thing must be arranged while the children are still under 18, typically around the age of 15. Nobody can force you or Mera into having an arranged marriage now, there is a law for that,” Atlanna assured him, reaching out to lay her hand on his cheek. “I always knew you were going to be special and you will set an example for the future by being the first king to choose his queen.” Her thumb caressed his cheek and it made him feel like a little boy again.

“However, change is frowned upon in Atlantis. It’s not going to be easy and you should try to ease them into it slowly.” She retreated her hand, folding them back together. “Atlantis is very traditional and while you might be able to make your own choice, you should respect the rest of our customs.”

“What exactly are we talking about here?” It was nice to know that nobody was able to force him into a marriage, but the way his mother emphasized their customs made him wary.

“Well, once a man starts courting a woman, it means that they choose their partner,” his mother explained, leveling him with a soft stare. “Courting is not the same as human “dating” and while Atlanteans can be affectionate, they only are seen together once they are married.”

Courting, affection, marriage. He repeated those three words in his head again, trying to make sense of them. His brain was working on overdrive and it slowly dawned him. His mother was talking about Mera and him. Courting.

His heart was hammering against his chest and a heaving feeling spread through his stomach. Maybe he misunderstood. He sucked in a deep breath, squeezing his eyes shut for a second before clarifying, “Just to be clear. You’re telling me that being affectionate and close with Mera, is seen as inappropriate and tells everyone that I chose her as my partner in marriage?” He let out a bark laugh. “What kind of weird custom is that?”

All of this was going too fast for him. Between saving the world, becoming King of Atlantis and getting his mother back, he barely had enough time to breathe. He was just getting used to being king, something he refused to become for all his life. His days were filled with meetings and he never had the chance to talk to the red-head about the last few days. The status of their relationship was still up in the air.

He liked Mera and he enjoyed her company. She made him laugh and forget about his insecurities. He had a strong urge to make her happy and see her smile. She was one of the most beautiful women he had ever met, but he wasn’t in love with her yet. There was a strong possibility of it happening in the near future, he wasn’t dumb enough to deny that, but he barely knew her. Hell, he had known her for exactly nine days.

And now they were talking about _marriage_. He never imagined marrying anyone. The thought of finding someone he loved enough to marry had just never crossed his mind. Now that his life was turned upside down, he realized he had to rethink a lot of his values. It was going to be expected of him to get married. Just like he needed to produce an heir.

An heir. His brain was going on overload and he felt like he was going to black out any second.

“Arthur don’t try to overthink this,” his mother voice pulled him back, her hand gentle on his arm. “Mera grew up in Atlantis, she knows how to behave properly. I’m sure nobody has noticed.” 

“This is not just about Mera. Being king just comes with so many expectations. It doesn’t stop with marriage. You need an heir! I’m not ready for that,” he exclaimed, standing up from the couch. He started to pace through the living room, his hand running through his hair. He might be freaking out.

“Arthur, darling, come sit back down,” his mother urged him, patting the couch next to her. “Maybe now you understand how confusing this is for Mera. She was betrothed and now she’s allowed to make her own choices. Subconsciously, she might have already done that, but she doesn’t know how to shoulder all of this. This is new for her too.”

He stopped at her words, abruptly turning around to her. He swallowed hard, taking a deep breath before holding up his hand. “Can we pause for like a minute?”

His mother chuckled, standing up and walking over to him. She framed his face with her hands, making him look her in the eyes. “I’m telling you this so you are prepared for what’s to come. Yes, you will need to marry and have an heir, but not right now. Nobody will force you to do anything.” She pulled his head down, pressing a kiss to his forehead. “Take your time. I want you to experience the same love I have with your father. And if you find it with Mera, I’ll be delighted to call her my daughter.”

He could only nod, his mind still running a mile a minute. The words Mera and marriage kept repeating in his head over and over again. He felt slightly better knowing his mother was supporting him and encouraging him to take his time, but it was still a lot to take in. Becoming king was much harder than he thought.

 

\------------

 

Almost an hour had passed after his conversation with his mother and they sat together on the couch, only the soft noises from the TV filling the room. His father had come in as well at some point, sitting down in the armchair next to the couch.

His parents were both concentrated on the TV, but he couldn’t tell what movie they were watching. His mind was still too wrapped up about the events of the last few hours. More than anything else, he wanted to go upstairs and finally talk to Mera and up until now, he couldn’t find the courage to do so.

Would Mera even want to talk to him again after what he accused her off? After dinner she had gone upstairs without so much as looking at him and he had just stared after her. He knew he had to leave soon if he wanted to get any sleep tonight. But leaving without clearing the air between Mera and him seemed wrong.

He took a deep breath, before getting up and finally walking to the hallway and up the stairs. The creaking of the stairs was louder than he remembered and he knew Mera would hear him coming. The house wasn’t big, and the walls were thin. Bridging the last few steps between the stairs and the door to his room, he took another deep breath, before lifting his hand to softly knock at the door.

The door sprang open—it hadn’t been closed all the way—and he looked around his room, finding Mera sitting on his bed, her back against the headboard and her legs stretched out in front of her.  She looked up from the book she was reading, her eyes wide in surprise. She was wearing the same tights as earlier, but she had changed her sweater for a light gray t-shirt. Her hair was braided into a French braid and without the volume of her red locks, she looked smaller than usual.

“May I come in?” He asked for her permission.

She nodded, putting her book on the bedside table. He entered his bedroom, realizing that the last few weeks had been the longest he’d gone without sleeping in his own bed.

His room was small, lit only by the lamp on his bedside table. On one side stood his bed and a small bedside table where he kept a photo of his dad and him during a fishing trip a few years back. On the other wall stood a dresser and a bookshelf that carried books from his childhood, but mainly it was filled with books about history that his father had gotten him. An armchair was seated on the wall opposite of the door, two small windows on each side. The walls were painted in a light gray and the wooden floor was squeaking with every movement, just like everywhere else in the house.

He closed the door behind him, crossing the small distance between the bed and door and sat down on the far end of the bed. His gaze fell to the book Mera had placed on the nightstand.

“Roman history,” he said, grabbing the worn-out book. “It was one of my favorites.”

Mera slid her legs back, pulling them against her body and wrapping her arms around them. “It reminded me of Sicily.”

He let out a small laugh. “Sicily was nice until I got my ass kicked and you stole a boat.”

“Hey,” she exclaimed. “I didn’t know that the boats at the marina aren’t for general use.” A smile crossed her lips and she played with the end of her braid that was hanging over her shoulder.

He placed the book down on the bed behind him, before glancing up to her through the corner of his eyes. “Nice braid by the way. It’s different, but it looks nice.”

Her cheeks turned a soft rose at his compliment. “Queen Atlanna braided it for me. She told me that sleeping in a surface bed can tangle up your hair.” She explained proudly. “I prefer it open, it’s less restraining, but I trust the queen.”

Hearing her refer to his mother as ‘Queen Atlanna’ was weird for him, but he didn’t comment on it, fearing that it would end in another argument.

“I need to go back to Atlantis,” he began, looking down onto his hands. “And it doesn’t feel right to just leave without clearing the air.”

Her brows furrowed. “Why would we need to clear the air between us? Is it polluted?”

“It means talking about what happened,” he explained, hiding the smile that was trying to break onto his face. She was adorable when she didn’t understand simple idioms, but this was no time for jokes.

“Oh.” Mera nodded and a new silence filled the room. The only sound was the soft clashing of the water against the cliffs outside. It was a sound that had often calmed him when he had been younger, longing for his mother. It gave him courage now.

“I’ll start with apologizing for overreacting,” he offered, folding his hands together in his lap, keeping his gaze fixed on them. “When you said that you wanted everything to go back to how it was a few weeks ago, I thought for a second that you regretted involving me in your plan. It’s just …”

“Arthur, no,” Mera interrupted him. “I would never regret that.” She shifted so her legs crossed in front of her, her hands falling onto the bed as she leaned forward. “I should have been more precise with my language, I was not in my right mind.” She shook her head. “I felt like you weren’t taking my situation serious.”

He sighed, scooting closer to her. “I am, Mera, I really am taking this serious. The thought of you leaving Atlantis messes with my head. I don’t know what happened with your father, and right now I’m out of my element. This is not something I can solve with my fist. You’re the one that knows all about the diplomatic stuff.”

Mera kept quiet for a minute, playing with the end of her braid again, before taking a deep breath. “I don’t know more than what I told you earlier. I disrespected his orders and my duty to marry the king. Since the betrothment is broken, he wants me back in Xebel.” She looked up to him. “I used to be able to read him so well, but in the last few years, his decisions have become rash and varying. I can’t tell you what’s going on in his mind. He’s unpredictable. After the battle, the new order seemed to work for him, but now he’s just…” She slumped into herself.

He nodded, exhaling loudly. “Vulko is trying to find out more and I promise you, we’ll resolve this situation.” He leaned closer to her, bringing a leg up onto the bed to turn towards her. “I’ll find a way for you to stay in Atlantis. I just need you to trust me.” He laid his hand close to hers on the bed, not quite touching it.

“I do trust you, Arthur.” The red-head shifted onto her knees, leaning closer to him and covering his hand with hers on the bed. “I believe that you will do your best to bring reason to my father, but at what cost?” She looked at him with big, worried eyes, shaking her head in defeat. “I am good at understanding diplomatic affairs, but my father is going to have the upper hand in this case. If he’s still as inclement as in past times, the course of the negotiations will not go in favor of Atlantis. As king you need to think about your nation and the consequences that come with my father’s demands first.” She stopped, her eyes lowering to the dark grey sheets on the bed. “If his demands are too costly, you cannot accept them.”  

His heart stopped at her words, aching for the redhead in front of him. She was blaming herself and he feared her next words. The urge he had to fix things with her father increased by a million.

“Mera,” he whispered as he squeezed her hand with his. “Why are you giving up on this?”

She shook her head, looking past him and he saw her eyes shimmering in the low light. “Because I did betray my nation and my family. I disregarded my obligations as one of their leaders. I disappointed my people and understand that they don’t want me to represent Xebel in Atlantis anymore. As royalty, duty should always come first.” Her voice broke as she added, “Maybe I deserve to be exiled.”

In that moment, he finally understood how deep her obligations to her family and duty were embedded in her. She had always known that her actions would come with consequences, but she had still gone through with her plan. He felt a wave of guilt sweep through him, even though he knew he wasn’t at fault. The punishment for her actions had been set from the beginning no matter who helped her with her plan. 

He felt a new level of admiration for the princess. She was one of the bravest people he knew, even more so for accepting her fate. A fate that he was going to prevent from happening. He promised himself that one day King Nereus would regret ever thinking about punishing Mera for making him king.

He focused back on Mera, who was close to tears. “You don’t know what your nation thinks about you,” he countered and framed her face with his hands. He gently tilted her head up, their eyes meeting. “I don’t either, but there is no friggin’ way that you will be punished for helping me become king to stop a war. Do you hear me?” He affirmed, pulling her closer to him, her knees touching his leg on the bed.

Without waiting for an answer, he pulled her into his arms, drawing her into his chest. His heart was aching for her. He felt her inhale deeply as she buried her head against his neck, her arms coming around his neck, clinging onto him tightly. He felt her silent tears against his neck and he lifted his left hand, laying it against the side of her head, his thumb caressing her temple.

Seeing her vulnerable, her usual fierce spirit gone, was waking a deep protectiveness for the princess in him. There was no doubt for him that she was going to stay in Atlantis. He could care less about the costs or consequences, and he knew that the talk he would have with her father would cost him a lot of his self-control. Keeping his anger in check was going to be almost impossible. Vulko would have to be patient with him, talking him down from making rash decisions. 

The woman in his arms shifted back in his embrace, putting a little space between them. Her hands framed his face, scratching through his beard and Arthur closed his eyes, enjoying her touch.

“Thank you,” she breathed, leaning her forehead against his.

At her words, he opened his eyes, searching for her green ones. “You’ll never have to thank me for doing what’s right, Mera.” To reinforce his statement, he pressed his lips to her forehead and Mera sank back into his arms, cuddling against his chest.

Tomorrow was going to be a difficult day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The last part should come next week, be on the look-out. 
> 
> Thank you for reading!


	3. Part III

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey there guys! 
> 
> I'm still alive. I do have to say the last few weeks had been incredibly busy and I'm sorry it took so long. This part is super long though and as you might have noticed, there is going to be a fourth part. Surprsie! 
> 
> I haven't written it yet, so be patient with me. I have one week of university left and I need to concentrate on that for the next few days and then I'll write the last part! 
> 
> For now, enjoy this one! There is some nice Aquamera in it! :) 
> 
> Thanks again to my beta reader Arielprincessofthesea.

“Damn it, he’s already half an hour late!” Arthur slammed his fist down onto the massive table and the loud thud echoed through the large conference room.

It was half past two in the afternoon and Arthur was waiting for King Nereus. He was supposed to meet him half an hour ago at 2 pm sharp. The other king’s tardiness made him angry, adding to his already lousy mood.

After arriving back in Atlantis in the early morning, he had tried to sleep for a few hours, but he had felt restless. He forced himself to stay in bed for four hours, before giving up and getting ready for the day. His tired state had given him a splitting headache and the white interior of the room he was in made it worse.

“Your Majesty, I would advise you to calm yourself,” Vulko cautioned him. His advisor was sitting next to him, his hands folded on the table. “You should try to stay calm and collected upon King Nereus arrival.”

“Well, I’m trying,” Arthur responded through gritted teeth. Without another word, he got up and swam over to the window. The colorful landscape outside the palace was bustling with movement. A constant stream of ships floated by on the path outside the room and the continuous movement soothed him.

He closed his eyes and his thoughts immediately wandered back to Mera. What would she be doing right now? Maybe she was reading more of his history books or maybe she was sitting outside on the porch again, staring into the distance, her red hair blowing gently in the soft breeze of the ocean. His head stopped throbbing as he envisioned her at his parent’s house, probably worrying about the impending conversation between her father and him.

The sound of the door opening pulled him out of his thoughts, and he opened his eyes before turning around. King Nereus stood in the doorway, wearing the same green golden armor suit from the battle a few days ago, his cape flowing behind him. Instead of his helmet, he wore his crown and as Arthur swam closer to him, he was able to see the long creases in the older man’s face.

Stopping in front of his guest, Arthur stretched out his hand. “King Nereus, glad you could make it,” he greeted him. Mera and Vulko were both right. He needed to be calm for this conversation.

The other king kept his hands folded in front of him. “I expected my daughter to be here, but then again it seems I can’t find her anywhere in Atlantis.”

Arthur pursed his lips, drawing in a slow and steady breath as he retreated his hand. “Princess Mera is taking a vacation elsewhere.”

King Nereus laughed as he swam into the room. “My daughter doesn’t take vacations. It only shows how weak she has gotten.”

It took everything in Arthur to not push the other man out of the room and slamming the door into his face. His calm demeanor was slipping, and he felt like he was holding onto it by a thin thread.

“By all means, Princess Mera is anything but weak. She stopped a war from destroying our kingdoms,” he countered as he closed the door behind the King of Xebel. He took a few more steady breaths, feeling his heartbeat slowing down again.

The red-haired man sat down at the table opposite of Vulko.

Vulko bowed his head to the king.

Nereus folded his hands on the table as he answered with an even voice, “A war that wasn’t hers to stop. She should know better than to interfere in political affairs that don’t concern her.”

“I forgot, her duty was to marry my brother,” Arthur sneered as he swam back to the table. He stopped behind the chair at the head of the table, grabbing the back of it. The chair created a barrier between King Nereus and him. If things escalated, there would be enough space between them to hopefully stop Arthur before he did something he’d regret.

King Nereus seemed to ignore his sour mood completely, continuing with without blinking at him, “That would bring us to our first item today. The contract of the betrothment was broken and certain reparations must be paid.”

“Excuse me, King Nereus,” Vulko interrupted their conversation. “If we are discussing a breach of contract, wouldn’t you want your advisors to be here as well?”

Once again, Arthur realized how fortunate he was to have Vulko at his side. The older man knew more about Atlantis and its politics than anybody else. It also helped that he also had experience in handling him, in case things went south.

“I don’t need them. I know enough about that contract,” King Nereus answered, looking back to him. “The contract stated that my daughter was to marry the next king of Atlantis, Prince Orm Marius, and in exchange for her, Atlantis would provide Xebel with the newest technology of weapons.”

Arthur’s blood started to boil upon the other man’s words. He was talking about his daughter like she was a piece of meat. He had given her away for marriage in exchange for weapons. The thought alone made him sick.

“She’s not marrying him anymore,” Arthur stated gruffly.

The man opposite of him just laughed. “Of course, she will not marry Orm anymore. She would make a fool out of herself and bring shame to her nation.”

Arthur felt every single muscle in his body tense up and he took another slow breath, swallowing his anger down with it. “Just name your demands for the breach of contract.”

“I don’t have any demands, except for the ongoing supply of the newest technology for the time stated in the contract.” King Nereus looked him dead in the eye.

Arthur’s grip on the chair lessened, his knuckles returning to his normal skin color again. He hadn’t reckoned the king’s demands to be that simple. It seemed too easy and it made him feel queasy. He held the other king’s gaze for a few seconds, before glancing to Vulko, who gave him a subtly nod.

“That seems fair,” he agreed with a nod.

The corner of King Nereus lips went up as he held Arthur’s gaze and added, “And my daughter will accompany me back to Xebel.”

“No,” the new king growled, grabbing the back of the chair tighter again. “I will not agree to that.” His arm muscles started to quiver and his knuckles turned white. Just like that his anger was back in full force.

Laughter filled the room as the King of Xebel placed his elbows onto the table, connecting the tips of his fingers. “You won’t have to agree to that. Mera is my daughter and she will do as I say.”

“Mera is a grown woman who can make her own decisions and if she wants to stay in Atlantis than that’s where she’ll be.” His whole body tensed and if he grabbed the chair any tighter, the material would snap under the pressure.

“That is _Princess_ Mera to you and she’s not a citizen of Atlantis. _I_ am her king and she will obey my orders,” the red-haired king snarled at him, slamming his fist onto the table.

“You’re her father! You should be on her side! She would do anything for her family, and you order her around like she’s only your subject,” Arthur accused him, pushing the chair forcefully back against the table.

“She clearly has you on her side,” King Nereus pointed out, shaking his head. “Do you really think I haven’t noticed the attraction between the two of you? The longing-filled looks and silent smiles you keep sending each other.” His eyebrows lowered and pinched together as he hissed, “My daughter is not going to be a hand-me-down that gets passed along to the next king who’s- to cap it all-of only a half-breed. She would make a fool out of herself and her nation.”

Arthur was fuming. His breaths were coming short and ragged and he forced himself to not move a muscle, his eyes trained on the table. His relationship with Mera was none of his goddamn business. King Nereus was making assumptions about them, even though he and Mera still hadn’t had time to discuss their feelings, to figure out what they were.  

“I see I hit a nerve there,” the king of Xebel chuckled. “My daughter will accompany me back to Xebel and you will never see her again. I’ll find an appropriate husband for her and she won’t ever think of you again.” His face turned read with anger.

Upon hearing his words, there was one thing he was completely sure about. No matter where Mera lived, they would always find a way to be with each other. After the talk with his mother, he realized Mera had already made her choice, even if only subconsciously, and Arthur knew he would move heaven and earth to have her by his side. Deep down he knew that he had made his choice as well.

Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath, before lifting his head and leveling King Nereus with glare as he said with a deep voice, “You know what? You will never be able to keep Mera away from me. She makes her own choices from now on and if she decides to choose me as her partner in life and become Queen of Atlantis, that’s her decision. You will regret the day you tried to force your will on her. You will not keep us apart. I will find a way, I promise you that. In the end, you’ll be painted the fool.”

King Nereus jumped up at his words, his chair falling backwards with a loud clunk. “Are you threatening me? You just became king. You don’t want to make an enemy out of Xebel in your first weeks. You will not get away with this.” He swam closer to him, pointing his finger at Arthur’s chest. He was so close that Arthur could see the vein on his forehead twitching.

He was about to reply as Vulko interrupted them, “Maybe we should postpone this meeting.” Vulko swam closer to them, positioning himself between the two of them. “We should gather our tempers and meet again tomorrow. Same time.”

Arthur held up his hands in front of him, backing away from the other king who still looked grimly at him. He couldn’t help but add, “This time at 2pm sharp. I won’t wait again. And remember my words. I won’t be this calm tomorrow.”

The other king glared at him, baring his teeth, before turning around and leaving the room, slamming the door shut behind him. The loud bang echoed through the room and Arthur let out a huge breath.

“That escalated quickly,” he mumbled, rubbing his temples. “Please tell me you got something from this conversation that we can use.” He turned to Vulko who was still standing next to him.

“There might be something I can look into again,” the vizier promised. “But for now, we need to carry on with our day.”

Arthur sighed, rubbing his eyes before letting his hand slide down his face. The situation wasn’t feeling as hopeless as it had an hour ago, but he still hoped he could peacefully bargain for Mera’s freedom.  

 

\--------

 

The gentle breeze of the ocean was blowing through Mera’s red locks, reminding her of the way the ocean usually pulled at her hair. She took a deep breath, closing her eyes as she tried to clear her mind.

She was sitting in the rocking chair outside on the front porch of the Curry household. Being on the surface wasn’t as bad here. In every room there was at least one window, looking over the ocean and if you listened closely, the soft whooshing of the waves could be heard from anywhere. The air was nice, not as humid as in Sicily or as dry as in the Sahara. Breathing was easier here. She didn’t feel as dehydrated as she felt in the other two places.

“Mera darling, you should put on some socks. Your feet must be cold,” Queen Atlanna pulled her out of her thoughts. She had come outside, two cups in her hands. “Your body won’t adjust to the temperature outside of the water. You need to keep yourself warm.”

“Yes, My Queen,” Mera responded, taking the cup out of the other woman’s hands. It was hot and inside was a liquid colored in a dark green. Steam was coming off it. Mera sniffed at it, but just like all the other odors around her, she couldn’t place it.

“It’s tea. It will warm you from the inside,” the older woman explained, sitting down on the bench which was standing next to the rocking chair Mera was sitting on. “And you may call me Atlanna here. We’re not in Atlantis and you don’t need to be so formal here.”

Mera nodded, guiding the cup closer to her face. The warm steam of the tea fanned over her face, warming her nose. She was indeed a bit cold, but she figured her body just needed more time to adjust. At night, when she had slept in the wide bed in Arthur’s room, she had been covered with a blanket which smelled like Arthur. She had wrapped it around herself when Arthur had left and it was almost like he was still there, his strong arms wrapped around her body. She slept deeply even though the softness of the mattress and bedding were new for her. Maybe it was his smell that calmed her.

She raised the cup to her lips, taking a careful sip from the hot beverage. She couldn’t describe the taste, but it tasted nothing like the roses in Sicily. The warm liquid went down her throat and she felt it travel all the way down her esophagus and into her stomach. It indeed warmed her, leaving a pleasant feeling.

She glanced at Queen Atlanna next to her, who was also slowly sipping her tea, holding it between both of her hands. She was looking towards the ocean and Mera followed her gaze.

“I never missed being in Atlantis after I got washed up at the shore,” the queen mused, a smile on her face. “Tom just had a way of making me feel so at home that I never felt the urge to go back.”

“You didn’t have anything to go back to then,” Mera countered, not letting her gaze waver back to the blonde woman. She missed her home and the feeling of weightlessness in the water. “Do you think I did the right thing?” She turned to her, finally meeting her gaze. “It wasn’t my duty to stop the war and now it might cost me my home.”

“Mera darling, what you did was so brave,” Atlanna assured her, gently laying a hand on her arm. “You sacrificed so much when you decided to get Arthur. You knew the consequences and you helped him anyway. You saved Atlantis and the surface from a war that would kill millions and that can never be wrong.”

Mera nodded, lowering her gaze onto her cup. “I’m sorry I broke the betrothment in the process.”

“Mera, please don’t apologize. Orm is my son and I love him, but it’s clear that the both of you would have never fallen in love. It would have been a political marriage and you wouldn’t have been happy,” she soothed her, rubbing her hand over her arm.

“I didn’t mean to…,” the redhead started, not finding the right words. “I know Arthur is Orm’s brother and I just want you to know that I’m…”

“You will never need to explain yourself to me, Mera. They are both my sons and I love them equally. You didn’t choose to marry Orm, just like you didn’t choose to develop feelings for Arthur, however deep they may run,” Atlanna interrupted her as she grabbed her hand, squeezing it.

A sigh of relief left the princess lips. Disappointing Queen Atlanna was something she had feared. The older woman had been her mentor for a big part of her childhood. Mera would even go so far as saying that disappointing her would affect her more than disappointing her father.

She squeezed the queen’s hand back, turning her gaze back to her. “Thank you.”

Atlanna smiled at her and retreated her hand, before taking another sip from her tea. “Have faith in my son. I might not have seen him grow up, but if he’s anything like his father, he will not give up so easily.”

Mera nodded, letting her gaze wander back to the ocean. She missed him, which was a strange feeling for her. She had only known him for a few days and yet it felt like an eternity. His easy going manner and his constant jokes had annoyed her at first, but he had a good heart and he always made her feel like she mattered. He was the first to acknowledge her strength and her loyalty and it made her feel special for the first time in her life.

Sighing, the princess took another sip from her tea as she hoped Arthur would come back to her soon.

 

\-------

 

“You know all this white interior is something that I don’t get,” Arthur mused as he swam around the table in the conference room. “Atlantis is one of the most colorful places and the whole palace just looks clean and cold.”

A day had passed and Arthur and Vulko were once again in the large conference room. It was a few minutes shy of 2 o’clock in the afternoon and they were waiting for King Nereus arrival.

“The palace is supposed to be majestic. It shows Atlantis’ prosperity,” Vulko explained, sitting down at the table. “It’s been this way for many years.”

“Can’t we just add some other colors to all this whiteness? I’m a simple guy, but this is giving me a headache,” Arthur said, moving his hand in a circular motion in front of him.

Thankfully his migraine from yesterday was gone. But he hadn’t slept much last night. He felt like he would never get used to the constant state of floating on top of his bed and the flimsy covers that were made from the same material as his clothes. On top of that, he had been anxious for today’s meeting. Vulko had stayed true to his promise, searching for a way for Mera to stay in Atlantis, but he wasn’t able to find anything up until that morning.  

“You are the king now. It is your palace. You’re allowed to redecorate it to your liking,” his advisor answered him. He put a little device onto the table before folding his hands together and leaning back against his chair.

Arthur took the seat next to him at the table, glancing at the little device. Atlantis technology amazed him, and it was hard to believe that their engineers were far ahead from the technology on the surface. The device in front of them was a tiny computer that created a hologram, not even needing a monitor. All of Atlantis records, no matter if it was contracts, or bills, were all stored on one network and accessible by the tiny devices.

The clicking sound of the door opening, pulled him out of his thoughts and he turned to see King Nereus entering the room.

Glancing at the hologram of the clock over the door, he greeted his guest, “King Nereus, glad you could make it on time today.” He pointed to the chair next to him, an invitation to sit.

The King of Xebel sat down next to him, his lips pursed, and his chin held high. “I hope you have your temper under control today. I don’t appreciate being treated the way you did yesterday.”

After their talk yesterday, Vulko pulled him aside before their next meeting, reminding him that it was inappropriate to talk to other leaders the way he did. Xebel was after all one of the seven kingdoms and an important ally to Atlantis. Arthur knew he had gone a little too far, but the way King Nereus was talking about Mera had enraged him.

Today was going to be different. He knew he would win and he would not let King Nereus words get a rise out of him.

“I will be on my best behavior today,” Arthur responded, folding his hands in front of him on the table. “I hope you have reconsidered your decision from yesterday.”

The other king snorted. “I don’t see any reason why I should bow to your demands.”

Arthur puffed out some air. “Well, I wanted to give you another chance before I put some things into perspective for you.”

“You don’t have any grounds for demands in this situation.” King Nereus let out a loud laugh.

“I did warn you. I don’t like to be messed with, and I also don’t like it when people mess with the people I care about.” Arthur paused, looking the other king in the eyes. “I’m gonna make this short. My vizier Vulko will give you some things to think about, and then we’ll decide how to continue this meeting.”

The red-haired king raised his eyebrows, letting his gaze wander to the man opposite of him.

Vulko pressed a button on the device that was laying on the table and a hologram of a contract appeared in front of their faces.

“As you can see, this is the contract of Prince Orm Marius’ and Princess Y’Mera Xebella Challa’s betrothment from 20 years ago. It was made after the great war, and Xebel, as well as Atlantis, had lost many of their soldiers,” the vizier paused, scrolling through the hologram, until he stopped and enlarged a paragraph. “As you can see here, Princess Mera was to marry the next king of Atlantis, Prince Orm Marius, and in return Atlantis would provide Xebel with the newest technology of weapons.”

“I don’t need you to remind me about the terms and conditions of this contract,” King Nereus snarled, leaning over the table.

“Now, that is no way to talk to my advisor,” Arthur chastised the other king, holding up his hand. King Nereus growled but leaned back in his chair and Arthur gesture Vulko to continue.

“I do hope you’re familiar with all the other conditions that were made about the marriage,” Vulko started as he moved to another paragraph. “The marriage was to take place upon Princess Mera’s 30th birthday and held here at the palace. In preparation for her new duties as Queen of Atlantis, Princess Mera was supposed to become a citizen of Atlantis and stay in Atlantis within 60 days before the wedding.”

King Nereus didn’t seem fazed at the information and Arthur sighed, leaning his elbows onto the table. “Let me help you here, King Nereus. I don’t know if you remember, but Princess Mera’s birthday is in exactly 47 days,” Arthur explained as he tilted his head towards him. “Now, I’m only a half-breed and I might have not enjoyed the same education as my brother, but I can calculate. Mera came to me eleven days ago which would mean she was 58 days away from her 30th birthday.”

“You…” King Nereus seethed, his body tensing. “Don’t you–”

“It’s not polite to interrupt someone while their talking,” Arthur cut him off, leaning back in his chair, his head falling back to his neck as a smirk crossed over his face. “Now, it gives me great pleasure to say this, but it looks like Atlantis wasn’t the first one to break the contract.” He moved his gaze to Vulko. “What’s the procedure for breach of contract in Atlantis?”

His advisor nodded, turning his gaze to King Nereus. “Xebel would have to give back everything they received because of the contract, and then certain reparations could be discussed.”

“Oh, I wonder what those could be,” Arthur laughed, putting his hands flat on the table.

“That’s enough!” King Nereus scream echoed through the room. “You think you’re so clever, but just wait and see. My daughter will get tired of you and then she’ll come back to Xebel all on her own!” He jumped up, pushing his chair back forcefully.

Arthur slammed his hand onto the table, before getting up himself. He swam closer to the other king, thrusting his chest out while growling, “No. Now you listen to me, you can keep your weapons and Atlantis will even provide you with more for the length of time stated in the contract, but Mera will stay in Atlantis, and from now on, every business transaction between our kingdoms will go through her. She’ll be welcome here as long as she wants to be here and if I hear you talking about her without the highest praises, you will regret the day you ever met me!”

“I’m not afraid of you!” The red-haired king pointed his finger at him.

“Then be afraid of your nation. If they find out you willingly aligned yourself with Orm, you’ll also be responsible for his failure and the death of the King of the Fishermen. Or you can go back to Xebel and tell them about the change of leadership in Atlantis and how the new king will let their princess stay in Atlantis to be the voice of her nation,” Arthur countered with a deep booming voice, stepping closer to the other man. “You don’t have a choice in this decision anymore, and you’ll leave Atlantis immediately.”

King Nereus glared at him for several more seconds, his lips in a tight line and for a second it seemed like he was going to explode, but then without saying another word, he turned around and swam out of the room, slamming the door behind him.  

“Phew, he’s a hard nut to crack,” Arthur joked as the tension eased out of his body. He turned to Vulko. “I thought he was going to punch me in the face for overruling him.”

“You did good, Arthur,” the older man complimented him as he turned off the tiny computer on the table. “Your mother and Princess Mera would be proud of you.”

Arthur lowered his head, shaking it. “I’m just glad the whole situation is resolved now.” His thoughts went to Mera and he couldn’t wait to tell her the news.

Vulko seemed to read his mind. “Well, it’s almost time for your weekly afternoon meeting with Captain Murk. I’m afraid you’ll need to delay your departure for a few more hours,” Vulko told him and Arthur let out a huge sigh.

 

\-------

 

Walking up the narrow steps from the dock, Arthur wrung out his hair. It was already dark out and he couldn’t tell how late it was. Looking to the lighthouse, he saw the light in the kitchen was still shimmering.

Instead of using the front entrance, he opted for the door by the kitchen, not wanting to startle anyone. He stomped up the few stairs to the door, hoping to alert his parents about his arrival. Within a few seconds, his mother’s face appeared behind the glass of the windows inside the door. A smile spread over her face and she unlocked the door, opening it quickly.

“Arthur, darling, we didn’t think you would be back this soon,” she greeted him, pulling him inside, before giving him a firm hug.

His wet suit glued itself to her clothes and Arthur winced, “I’m getting you all wet.” As he pulled away, he pressed a quick kiss to her cheek.

His mother chuckled and waved him off. “I grew up surrounded by water. It doesn’t bother me.” She walked around the small kitchen island in the middle of the room and into the hallway, grabbing him a towel out of the basket by the front door.

“Where is everyone?” Arthur asked, staying by the kitchen door to minimize flooding the kitchen floor.

“Your father’s asleep on the couch and Mera’s already sleeping upstairs.” His mother told him as she walked back over to him, handing him the towel.

Arthur glanced at the microwave as he toweled himself off. 10:43. When did it get so late? He sighed, stepping out of his boots and leaving them by the door. He walked through the kitchen and into the small, adjoining dining room, hanging his towel over one of the chairs.

“Are you hungry? I could heat up some leftovers from dinner,” his mother suggested, stepping towards the fridge next to her.

“No, I’m fine, mom,” he answered, turning his head to his right side, spying through the hallway and into the living room. The low flickering of the TV was the only source of light illuminating the space and he could hear his father’s snores coming from the couch.

“How did it go with King Nereus?” His mother’s voice sound from behind him and he turned around to her, seeing her leaning against the kitchen island, her arms crossed in front of her.

“Mera’s staying in Atlantis and all future business transactions between Atlantis and Xebel will go through her from now on.” He paused, shaking his head. “King Nereus is a difficult man. In the end, Vulko and I had to pin the breach of contract onto Mera for him to finally understand that she wasn’t going to do his bidding anymore.”

 “King Nereus has changed after the war. He had lost his wife and even though they also had an arranged marriage, I believe he cared for her a lot,” his mother explained, walking closer to him. She laid a hand against his cheek and he closed his eyes at the contact.

A sudden tiredness surged through his body and he grabbed the back of the chair, leaning against it. He just needed to stay awake for a little while longer and as soon as he told Mera, he could finally go to sleep.

“You did good, Arthur. I’m proud of you.” At his mother’s words, he opened his heavy eyes, meeting her gaze. “You can tell me the rest tomorrow. Why don’t you go and sleep now?”

He nodded, letting go of the chair and stepping towards the hallway. He hesitated, looking between the stairs that led upstairs and the living room. Mera was sleeping in his bed, and he wasn’t sure if she would actually share with him. His mother’s words were replying in his head. Courting, affection and inappropriate behavior. Sleeping in one bed was probably high on the list of inappropriate behavior.

“We’re not in Atlantis, Arthur. I didn’t tell you about our customs to keep you away from Mera. I’m sure she wouldn’t approve of me scaring you off. If she wanted, she would be capable to do so herself,” his mother offered from behind him.

Her words were reassuring, and he briefly turned around to her. “Thank you, mom.”

She gave him a genuine smile.

Without any more hesitation, he started walking again. He tiptoed up the stairs, trying to avoid the creaking floor boards, something he had mastered at a young age. Once he reached the door, he grabbed the handle pushing it down. The metal was cold against his hands and he shivered. The tiredness he had felt a few moments ago, had vanished. His heart started to beat faster as he stepped inside the dark room.

“Arthur?” Mera’s rough voice reached his ears and he heard her fumble around, before the room was lighted by the lamp on the bedside table. Mera was laying in the middle his bed, propping herself up onto her right forearm. Her movements were slow, and he realized she must have been asleep for some time.

“How did you know it was me?” He asked as he closed the door behind him.

“Nobody is as heavy as you are,” she mumbled, stifling a yawn while rubbing her eyes.

“Is that supposed to be a compliment?” He furrowed his brows, his hands going to his hips. He felt slightly insulted by her statement.

“No, you idiot,” she chastised him, leveling him with a glare. “Your footsteps are heavier than Tom’s and Atlanna’s and any guards from my father wouldn’t have made it past your mother.”

A chuckle escaped from his lips and he shook his head. She looked adorable. Her hair was braided again, but rumbled from sleeping, a few strains falling loose out of her braid. She glared at him, her eyes narrowed. He couldn’t tell if she was grumpy because he woke her up or if she was annoyed about his jokes. He felt a strong pull towards her, and he stepped closer to the bed, crouching down in front of it, so he was on eye level with the princess.

“Hey,” he whispered as he laid his left arm onto the bed, close to hers. “You’re beautiful, you know that?”

Her features softened and she moved closer to him, their faces only a few inches apart. Her face turned a faint pink and a smile played at her lips. She averted her gaze onto her hand which was slowly grabbing onto his bigger one, her fingers winding their way through his.

“I haven’t heard that in a while,” she replied, locking eyes with him. “Thank you.” Her other hand moved to palm his cheek, her thumb caressing the skin over his cheekbone.

Her touch grounded him, and he felt the heavy weight that pulled him down the last few days, being lifted from his shoulders. Every last bit of tension left his body and he closed his eyes, enjoying the soft caress for a few more seconds, before covering her hand with his and pulling it to his lips. He pressed a gentle kiss against the inside of her palm.

“I’m surprised you haven’t asked me about my last two days yet,” he said softly, guiding her hand back to his cheek. “You’re usually not as patient as today.”

She grabbed their intertwined hands tighter, her gaze moving past him onto the bedside table as she bit her lip. Her hand dropped from his cheek as she nodded, “I know.”

“Hey, don’t be scared.” He touched her cheek, turning her head back to him. “I told you, I’d take care of everything. You’ll be staying in Atlantis for as long as you want.”

Her eyes went wide at his words and her breathing stopped for a second. She was completely still, and he couldn’t tell for how long she held her breath, but all of the sudden her mouth was on his, kissing him. Her lips were soft and warm, and she tasted like his toothpaste. His brain shut off completely as he fell onto his knees in front of the bed, one of his hands landing on her cheek and the other on her waist, pulling her closer to him. She gently nipped at his bottom lip, her hand finding its way onto the back of his neck.

Too soon, she pulled back, her lips leaving his. She leaned her forehead against his, keeping him close with the hand on his neck. “I will never be able to thank you enough.”

“Well, this was a pretty good start,” he hummed, their breaths mingling in the small space between them. “You could always thank me this way. I won’t complain.”

Mera laughed and Arthur knew, it was going to be one of his favorite sounds from now on. He leaned closer again, pressing a chaste kiss against her lips. He was feeling warm inside and his heart was beating faster. The feeling of her kisses was addicting to him and he couldn’t help, but to smoosh her again. God, he could do that all day.

Mera smiled against his lips, before moving her hand from his neck to his chest and pushing him slightly away from her. “How did you convince my father to let me stay?”

“Really? Now you start to think about it?” He pouted at her. “We had such a good thing going.”

She leveled him with a look, her head tilted. “Please.”

Sighing, he got up and moved over to his dresser on the other side of the room. “It’s a long story and I’ll tell you about it tomorrow.” He opened the first drawer, pulling out a long sleeved, gray shirt. “Right now, I would really like to sleep.” Putting the shirt on top of the dresser, he grabbed the zipper of his suit on his back, pulling it down.

“What do you think you’re doing?” Mera’s alarmed voice sounded from behind him.

Confused, he turned around. “I’m changing so I can finally go to sleep.”

Mera had sat up in his bed, clutching the blanket in her hand and holding it up to her chest. “You can’t change in front of me!” She exclaimed.

He pulled his arms out of the suit and it fell down his chest. “It’s nothing you haven’t seen before,” he scoffed as he put on the dry shirt from the dresser. “Just cover your eyes because I really want to get out of this thing now.”

Mera huffed, pulling the sheets over her face. “Last time, I was more worried you might bleed out any second.” Her voice was muffled by the blanket, and he chuckled again.

He quickly pulled his legs out of the suit, throwing the green-golden piece onto the floor next to him, before putting on a pair of sweatpants. “You can lower the blanket now.”

Slowly, Mera lowered the blanket, glaring at him from across the room.

“Look, mom told me about Atlantean customs and inappropriate behavior, but we’re not in Atlantis right now and you just kissed me,” he declared, walking closer to the bed. “I’m not going to do anything you don’t want.”

“Hold on,” the red-head stopped him, holding up her hand. “You want to sleep in this bed with me?” Her eyes went wide.

“We don’t have another bed in this house and my dad’s sleeping on the couch. This bed is huge, and we can just share,” he said, shrugging. “It’s no biggie.”

“You’re huge. There won’t be enough space for both of us,” she countered, pulling the blanket up to her chest again.

“You’re exaggerating, Mera,” he said and sat down on the edge of the bed. “Look, I’ll stay on this side and you’ll have the other side, if that makes you feel better. You won’t even notice, I’m here.”

Mera’s lips were still in a tight line and she took a deep breath. “I haven’t shared my bed with anyone before.”

He sighed. “If it makes you too uncomfortable, I can go downstairs and wake up my dad, so I can sleep on the couch.”

For a second, Mera kept quiet. She fidgeted around, her gaze on her hands. Arthur was sure she would make him leave. He couldn’t blame her. Sharing a bed were two completely different things in Atlantis and on the surface. It meant a lot more to her. He silently cursed himself for putting pressure on her as he saw her crawl over to create more space for him.

“No, you can stay here.” She glanced up to him through her lashes, before letting her gaze fall onto the space next to her.

“Thank you,” he said and scooted upwards, lifting his legs onto the bed and under the covers. The softness of his mattress felt like heaven to him and he finally laid down. There was nothing like sleeping in his own bed. He let out a long sigh.

Mera didn’t move next to him, biting her lip again.

“Mera, come on, please just lay down,” he urged her and patted the space next to him. “I won’t bite. I know this is unknown territory for you, so please just trust me.”

Reluctantly, the princess scooted down on the bed, stretching herself to lay down and covering herself with the blanket. “I do trust you,” she whispered.

Turning his head towards her, he saw her laying on the edge of the bed. “Alright, then just think about this like a really long hug,” he warned her, before grabbing her by the waist and pulling her into his chest.

She shrieked, struggling against his grip, but there was no force behind her movements. Her head came to rest on his shoulder and the rest of her body naturally molded itself against his body. She stilled and he wrapped his arm around her back, keeping her close.

“I just want to sleep,” he promised, and her hand slowly lowered down onto his chest, coming to rest over his heart. “The last few days were rough for both of us and having you close to me now, is all I want, ok?”

The tension left her body and she snuggled closer to him. “You’re warm and I do like being close to you,” she said softly.

Reaching towards the bedside table, he turned off the light and he felt his eyes close. “Told you. I always knew you like my hugs,” he mumbled sleepy, pressing a kiss to her hair.

“Just sleep now, Arthur.” Her voice lulled him to sleep, being the last thing he heard before drifting off.


End file.
